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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Willem Dafoe Is Not Returning

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan has confirmed that Willem Dafoe's Vulko will not be making an appearance in the new film.

Published Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:32:08 -0500

by Kaitlyn Booth

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Patrick Wilson and Willem Dafoe were two people who nearly took Aquaman away from its star and ran away with the entire movie. The movie was better anytime either of their characters were on screen, and it was good to hear that the second film would bring back Wilson and give him a significant role. It's always fun to see him do his thing, and these movies are ridiculous, and watching him chew the scenery is just glorious. Unfortunately, one player has been missing from the marketing for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and that is Dafoe. Director James Wan explained to Entertainment Weekly that Dafoe's character Vulko wouldn't appear in this film. However, there wasn't anything shady about it or a story-specific reason; it was just scheduling conflicts. However, it did force Wan to rework the story because Arthur [Jason Momoa] needed an advisor, and who better to fill that role than Arthur's mother, Atlanna, played by the amazing Nicole Kidman?

"Willem is not in this one, no," says Wan, who also directed the 2018 film. "Part of the reason was because his schedule did not work out for us. But what that allowed me to do was expand on Atlanna's role. Atlanna, in this one, ultimately becomes Arthur's advisor. Because Arthur's not from this world, she helps him better understand the world and the politics of how things work."

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Willem Dafoe Is Not Returning — Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures/ ™ & © DC Comics

Well, I'm always happy to see more badass ladies up on screen, and it does seem like Mera [Amber Heard] is going to have a much smaller role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom due to reasons that Wan said have nothing to do with circumstances surrounding her personal life. Kidman always has fun with roles like this and knows the assignment when she turns up on set. So, while no Dafoe is a bummer, more Kidman is always a win.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa—along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman—return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father's death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time, Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman's family and the world from irreversible destruction.

All returning to the roles they originated, Jason Momoa plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman's half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother's reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis' Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father's death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.

Directed by Wan, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is produced by Peter Safran, Wan, and Rob Cowan. The executive producers are Galen Vaisman and Walter Hamada. The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Jason Momoa & Thomas Pa'a Sibbett, based on characters from DC, Aquaman created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger.